24 C.F.R. § 14.50
§ 14.50 Definitions. (24 CFR Part 14)
Operative Text
Act. The Equal Access to Justice Act, 5 U.S.C. 504, title II of Pub. L. 96-481, as amended by Pub. L. 99-80. Adjudicative officer. The Administrative Law Judge, Administrative Judge of the HUD Office of Hearings and Appeals, or other officer designated by the Secretary, who presided at the adversary adjudication. Adversary adjudication. (a) An adjudication under 5 U.S.C. 554 in which the position of the United States is represented by counsel or otherwise, but not including an adjudication for the purpose of establishing or fixing a rate or for the purpose of granting or renewing a license; and (b) Appeals of decisions of contracting officers made pursuant to section 6 of the Contract Disputes Act of 1978 (41 U.S.C. 605) before agency boards of contract appeals as provided in section 8 of that Act (41 U.S.C. 607). Agency counsel (a) When the position of the Department is being represented, the attorney or attorneys designated by the Department's General Counsel to represent the Department in a proceeding covered by this part, and (b) When the position of another agency of the United States is being represented, the representative as designated by that agency. Department. The Department of Housing and Urban Development, or the organizational unit within the Department responsible for conducting an adversary adjudication subject to this part. Proceeding. An adversary adjudication as defined above. Secretary. The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
Section 14.50 of 24 CFR Part 14 establishes the working vocabulary for HUD's Equal Access to Justice Act proceedings, defining key terms such as 'adversary adjudication,' 'adjudicative officer,' and 'agency counsel.' These definitions set the boundaries for which types of formal HUD proceedings fall under the Act's fee-shifting framework and who the recognized participants are.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners or managers involved in a formal HUD enforcement or contract-dispute proceeding should be aware that § 14.50 defines the scope of proceedings where fee awards under the Equal Access to Justice Act may be available. Operators who find themselves before an Administrative Law Judge or the HUD Office of Hearings and Appeals are generally in the type of 'adversary adjudication' this section describes, meaning the broader Part 14 rules on attorney fee claims apply.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
For tenants drawn into a formal HUD adjudication, § 14.50 clarifies which proceedings qualify as 'adversary adjudications' under the Equal Access to Justice Act, which can affect eligibility for fee awards if the government's position is found to be unjustified. Tenants navigating such proceedings may find it useful to consult a tenant-rights organization or legal aid office to understand how these definitions apply to their situation.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 4, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.